Washington Area Butterfly Club
Field Reports
October 1998
- Harry Pavulaan
- Sterling, VA. October 1998 has come and gone with fairly mild and gentle weather, and with only three very light frosts in the Herndon area. Butterfly numbers and variety are not what they usually are at this time of year here, but a few interesting surprises turned up.
On 10/25, a trip to Great Falls National Park found three Sleepy Oranges (Eurema nicippe) flying about the rock field overlooking the falls. Coming home, I found the following in my butterfly garden, all on Buddleia and Aster dumosus: 2 Cabbage Whites, Orange Sulphur, Red-banded Hairstreak, Variegated Fritillary, American Lady, Red Admiral, 2 Fiery Skippers and 4 Sachem Skippers.
On 10/28, returning home from work, I was greeted by a very large, freshly- emerged Silver-spotted Skipper feeding on the Zinnias in front of my house. The fact that this may be a state "late" seasonal record (or close to it) is unusual in itself, however a freshly-emerged individual at this time of year is even more unusual.
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